IoT in Firefighting

Governments lose billions of dollars worldwide as a result of fire incidents. Thousands of people die every year amid fire breakouts. In 2014, over 3,500 people died in the US alone in different fire incidents. In 2013, the US government lost over $11 billion in about 1.2 million incidents of fire eruptions. Internet of Things can play a key role in firefighting. The revolutionary technology is already changing the way fires are extinguished around the world. In this article we will analyze in detail how IoT will change firefighting in the future.

IoT Will Help Get Crucial Data for Firefighting

IoT-based sensors would play a key role in firefighting in the near future. According to a detailed report by National Institute of Standards and Technology, firefighting authorities could increase their grasp on data and save lives by using temporary wireless networks which could be used to power sensor technologies for obtaining and assessing information and data related to fire sites.

IoT will Improve Field Communication

Companies worldwide are working to link networks with IoT devices on different fire sites for efficient communication and sharing of data. Usually, a fire fighting truck is loaded with machinery and has a lot of space and to be equipped with an internal powerhouse of communications. Firefighters can stream live data and take the best possible advice from experts no matter how far they might be located. This would result in massive decline in costs and loss of lives.

Role of IoT-based Smart Home Devices

Internet of Things technology could be integrated with household machineries, gadgets and devices. This would help is extinguishing fires as soon as they start. For example, apart from having fire or smoke detectors, experts could integrate massive water influx technologies with construction material. In China, a project named “Golden Shield” is revolutionizing the concept of firefighting. The government is actively improving the computerized management of firefighting through IoT-based communication networks. Another great idea in this regard is to enable IoT devices to contact firefighting departments automatically in case of any fire in homes. This could be easily achieved through smart home solutions like Amazon Echo and Google Home.

IoT-Based Mapping of Fire Sites

In any firefight, the ground personnel have to figure out the internal map of the building in which the fire is erupted. Firefighting teams spend a lot of time pinpointing the exact source and key spots in buildings before launching their fire extinguishing missions. IoT can help in this regard. IoT-based sensors connected with internal mapping and GPS apps could help firefighters make their way through the buildings easily. Lightweight RFID-based trackers can also be attached or integrated with firefighting suits. This would help firefighting teams to locate and track each other in real time.

Role of Drones raises IoT in Firefighting

Perhaps the most glaring example of the role of Internet of Things is firefighting is the use of drones. Drones could help firefighters get data, information, photos and holistic view of fire sites. Drones could be operated easily and they can also help in getting the internal view of buildings.

How IoT Can Help in Firefighting to Save Lives and Billions in Costs was last modified: September 3rd, 2017 by Donald Carson